Jacob Umaga

[Roly]

I don't think he needs to bulk up loads for his position and he is so talented he could yet play many positions, not many kids have the talent to move around like that and he'll get better from doing it.
He seems quite durable for his size from what I have seen and if seeing the likes of Farrell actually trim down in recent times and the rise of players like Veainu then agility is coming more into the game.
I think Tigers could've made a massive error on this one.
The money involved would be small, we are not talking huge amounts here but just a fair amount for the potential he has.
http://www.leicestertigers.com/academy/ ... 0_y78L2bIU

Its not like there isn't precedent for it....

[Iain]

The lad's 17 and the discussion is focused on whether we should have offered him more money and whether he ought to bulk up a bit.

Modern rugby, ladies and gentlemen...


For what it's worth, none of us know what happened behind closes doors with contract negotiations from several different clubs, so who am I to speculate?

[darganj]

The lad's 17 and the discussion is focused on whether we should have offered him more money and whether he ought to bulk up a bit.

Modern rugby, ladies and gentlemen...


For what it's worth, none of us know what happened behind closes doors with contract negotiations from several different clubs, so who am I to speculate?

Iain, very unlike you to sit on the fence when the club has let go one of its most predigious talents......

Normally Cockers always gets it right. Tbf between the choice of Dai Young and Cockers, I know who I would rather play under

[Iain]

The lad's 17 and the discussion is focused on whether we should have offered him more money and whether he ought to bulk up a bit.

Modern rugby, ladies and gentlemen...


For what it's worth, none of us know what happened behind closes doors with contract negotiations from several different clubs, so who am I to speculate?

Iain, very unlike you to sit on the fence when the club has let go one of its most predigious talents......

Normally Cockers always gets it right. Tbf between the choice of Dai Young and Cockers, I know who I would rather play under

I'm saying I don't know what has happened behind the scenes. I trust the club to have acted in its own best interests and those of the player. Anything further than that is conjecture.

And there's no reason why anyone would choose to play for Cockerill instead of Young or vice-versa. We don't know enough. But that is moot, since most of his time at this point would be wit academy coaches.

[The Boy Dave]

I trust the club to have acted in its own best interests and those of the player. Anything further than that is conjecture.

Now that's what you call a contradiction!

[Iain]

I trust the club to have acted in its own best interests and those of the player. Anything further than that is conjecture.

Now that's what you call a contradiction!

Not necessarily.

[The Boy Dave]

[propupthebar]

It wasn't about money.

[Noddy555]

Sorry Raging I have to disagree with you on this and one only has to mention the name Henry Slade to highlight examples where a former tigers junior has gone on to great things at other clubs and he's even knocking on the England door now. I could give you another 50 examples were young Tigers players have left during the last 20 years and progressed at other clubs even in some cases gaining international status, but quite frankly I haven't got the time.

[RagingBull]

Sorry Raging I have to disagree with you on this and one only has to mention the name Henry Slade to highlight examples where a former tigers junior has gone on to great things at other clubs and he's even knocking on the England door now. I could give you another 50 examples were young Tigers players have left during the last 20 years and progressed at other clubs even in some cases gaining international status, but quite frankly I haven't got the time.

Henry Slade has never played for Tigers

Born in Plymouth, went to school in Plymouth. Played for Exeter Chiefs academy.

Charlie Walker is prob the best example although that was due to the club being stubborn with the school situation rather than any thing else.

I can't think of many who actually went to the academy and left before first team appearances that would be starting for us ATM or even 23.

[Hot_Charlie]

It's worth noting all the other AP clubs with academies who have been consistently in the top 4 British clubs over the past 25 years, on all but 2 occasions. Consistent performance doesn't mean you shove a load of academy graduates in the team; Quins and Saints are regarded as examples of good teams built around academy products, but hey, I'd rather not follow their model of being relegated first.

To get into the first team our academy graduates have to be exceptional and, looking at the graduates in the squad now, that's probably fair.

[Noddy555]

We have a young man of 15 who I shall not name but who has been playing Rugby since the age of 6 and who has now applied to join the Tigers Academy. Hopefully as a tigers fan since birth almost he will be accepted and won't have to go to the nearby Wasps academy or heaven forfend that of Saints. We should be encouraging young local talent as well as taking in young talent from abroad.

[L Smith]

Sorry Raging I have to disagree with you on this and one only has to mention the name Henry Slade to highlight examples where a former tigers junior has gone on to great things at other clubs and he's even knocking on the England door now. I could give you another 50 examples were young Tigers players have left during the last 20 years and progressed at other clubs even in some cases gaining international status, but quite frankly I haven't got the time.

Yeah, we should have never let Sonny Bill Williams and Sergio Parisse leave the academy either...

[ellis9]

Noddy, what has supporting the club got to do with accepting and keeping players in the academy?

I have supported Tigers the majority of my life and I spent a couple of seasons in the academy but I was released by Tigers.

[RagingBull]

Noddy, what has supporting the club got to do with accepting and keeping players in the academy?

I have supported Tigers the majority of my life and I spent a couple of seasons in the academy but I was released by Tigers.

so you're not Harry Ellis?